The Seven Deadly Sins
by empyreality
Summary: Gluttony, Envy, Lust, Wrath... The sins that make the couple. [Maiko]


**This is a series of drabbles that I was inspired to do. I will post the others later but I enjoyed writing the first three, I hope you like them as well. The theme is the Seven Deadly Sins and is in a way, inspired by an anti-maiko comment that stated that it was "Immoral". Anyways, I hope you enjoy it and if possible leave a comment.**

** All standard disclaimers apply.  
**

**Lust-** It all started out as a childhood crush, formed from the innocence of youth. Years later she discovered the feelings hadn't changed. If anything, she had realized they had grown stronger in his absence. She dreamed about him, she dreamed of what it would be like to touch his scar, to feel the charred skin beneath her fingertips. She wondered what his hair would feel like, what sensations would envelop her if she tangled her fingers in his unruly mane. She yearned for his touch, to feel his breath hot on her skin. Most of all though, she wanted a kiss from him, she had dreamed of it ever since he had left. She wanted the kiss to be one filled with passion, one that ensured he was hers forever, the one she always dreamed of. Mai didn't know if her feelings were love or lust, sinful or pure, but she didn't care. Later, she discovered as she lay bare under the covers, Zuko didn't care either.

* * *

**Gluttony-** She never thought it would hurt so much. She never suspected that one scene would change her in such a way. Seeing Zuko, happy, with another girl felt like her heart had been ripped out and replaced with a cold stone. She did not show her pain, she had always been taught to hide any weakness. So, she concealed her heartbreak behind a mask carefully constructed of false words and feigned ignorance. No matter how hard she tried, she could still feel the emptiness inside and she had no means to fill it. The feeling was consuming her and she felt so cold, so empty. It was unbearable and she wanted, no needed, a way to stop the pain, to fill the emptiness so she ate. Mai ate whatever she could, hoping somehow that as the food filled her stomach it would fill her heart as well. She hoped that food would heal what time could not and her friends noticed. As she sat eating, Ty-Lee approached her. "I thought you didn't like that stuff" she said pointing at the pile of food.

"I don't," Mai replied and poped another morsel in her mouth.

* * *

**Wrath-** He could see the image over and over again. The memory burned in his mind and he would never be free of it. It was betrayal, pure deception. She had told him she loved him, that together they would heal the wounds the war had caused, on the world, and on each other. He had been foolish enough to believe her. He had lied then and lied now, he pretended to believe her when she said she was going to visit her friends, he pretended to believe her when she said her heart was his. He knew she was lying though, he knew that her heart belonged to another. He knew, that when she left, it would not be her friends she would meet, but the Avatar. He knew that the kind hero had always had her heart no matter how much she denied it. He felt numb as anger consumed him. _She had betrayed him_, he thought to himself, she had lied to him and he believed her. The anger coursed through his veins and he felt the desire to burn, burn anything, burn everything. He could only feel anger as he stalked down the palace halls, nothing else. He was a machine, ready to kill without regret, eager to destroy. He had become like his father, like his sister, everything he swore he would never become.

He sat, glaring at the necklace that lay on his palm. He had planned on giving it to her, propose, tell her he loved her but now all the plans he made were gone, only the desire to destroy remained. He felt like a shell as he looked at the pendant, forged of metal and ice, carved with the image of the sun and moon. His hand closed over the jewelry and his fist was engulfed in flame. The ice melted, along with his love and all that was left was glowing metal that he cast aside. He wouldn't need it anymore. It was only the beginning, he thought to himself. He felt the pleasant warmth of fire dance on his skin as prepared to let all feel his wrath, to let all feel the pain of fire but a husky voice stayed his hand. Mai's cool hand on his skin halted him, the flames disappeared, the rage disappeared.

She cradled him in her arms, whispering to him words only he could hear, comforting him in her own way. She wasn't a healer, but she made the pain go away, she cleared the mists that clouded his mind. She made him feel again, she made him want to live.


End file.
